Why is it important to set realistic goals?

Life is a journey full of surprises. It therefore demands people to come up with goals and vision. Those who set up goals and follow up on them tend to have an edge over those that do nothing. 

In career, it is important to set up goals. They say that where there is no vision, people perish. the vision which is the ultimate picture will be accomplished well when needed dedication is given to the available chance. In relation to this, it is important to have both short term and long term goals. Short term goals will play a vital role in reaching the ultimate goal in career which may be a long term. Will bring the bigger picture close than you think it is.

In my career aspiration to own a writing agency, I must work as a writer with other agencies to gain the much needed experience on writing and how to manage different situations and challenges in the field. I must be willing to be corrected no matter how painful it might seem. This also gives me an opportunity to engage with other stake holders in the field who can sharpen me to become what i want to be. 

In addition to that, beginning small helps a lot in the process of developing the bigger idea. Without any foundation, I cannot be able to handle the bigger task no matter how simple it seems. It might seem like the easiest task ever, but since there is no any experience prior to the task, It would be very difficult to manage the task. 

My short term goals in my career are the blueprint of my career success. without this, I will not get anything worthy. They keep reminding me of the bigger picture thus keeping me on the right track. In addition to that, they also give me a slight experience of the things ahead; that for me to make it, a taste of this small is important. I therefore take the small chance I get with the necessary seriousness it deserves as this is the determiner of my success. 

The short term goals are also essential in bringing about balance. This balance is brought about by how sober I become in time of immense pressure. It is clear that pressure can kill even vision. Having passed through this situations, I become more prepared to handle pressure no matter how tough it is.

As you revise a goal, it plays well to learn something from the process. In my use of writing example sometimes you have a workload that is too big to relax and finish later. When you consider handling the task in bits but consistent it, it becomes more of a rehearsal than the really deal. The working has become easier and getting overwhelmed is a dream that cannot happen in this scenario. 

Short term goals are also key in development of Ideas on issues that seems challenging in the field. It promotes good habits for the bigger office that you look forward to get.

Career development plan on own example

I am an aspiring software developer. My long term career strategy is to be a software company owner. To achieve this I have subdivided my goal into small phases of achievable goals. 

I am an ongoing student pursing a degree in computer science, this is crucial in helping me know what software developing entails and actually getting a deeper grasp into the foundation of the discipline. Also since software development is a broad discipline and it relays on other disciplines e.g information security, networking  for relevance its crucial that I get to be an all round in all of this disciplines. My computer science degree will take me two years to complete and graduate.

After finishing my computer science studies am planning to join a small software developing company as an intern. I am planning to work there to grasp the real world software development dynamics. Also I would prefer a small company due to the advantage of getting to learn more and actually growing together with it. Since small companies are not sufficiently able to hire more staff I will have to diversify my knowledge in a lot of software development areas i.e both front end and back end programming.. I will strive to learn more and also have a mentor preferably a senior level developer in that firm to guide me through and also help out in working through challenges and answering questions that are brought about from my inquisitive character.

After finishing at least two years of internship I would opt to go for a high tier software development firm where I get to specialize as a front end developer and while at it I will try as much as possible to accrue best customer and client relationship that will help me lately be able to attract and maintain my clients. Also I would enroll in part time classes of business management to get to know more about running my own business and everything that business entails not limited to maintain and attracting customers, business structure development , motivating employees and money management.

Later on I will start my small solo software developing business  and as the clients grow in number I will increase my work force by hiring developers mostly young and fresh from campus to help them realize their potential and also to fast track their career growth. I would then register my business as a firm and strive to have myself and my workforce gain the latest skills and knowledge in software development industry through learning since software development is a dynamic discipline.

That way I will be more competitive in the software development industry and jobs and tenders will flow my way. Also I will have achieved my long life mission of helping young developers realize their full potential since most developers have a shortened career since the path is usually never straight forward and is made difficult by so many factors including economy and also lack of mentors who have been through the path to offer guidance.

An importance of short-term goals

In today’s competitive environment, there’s so much pressure to excel and succeed. Each of us wants to have a successful career, prosper financially and even grow spiritually. The best way to achieve success is by having clear short-term goals. When properly set and followed, they can help you realize your dreams. This essay will assess how your short-term professional goals can help you follow your career strategy.

Professional goals give you the push you need to reach your objectives (Robert 2005). Typically, goals represent a person’s desires and as such can act as a source of motivation. They will not only motivate you to focus on growing professionally but can also help keep you on track when faced with difficult situations in your career. Any time you revisit your goals, you will be reminded of what you want to achieve and the action plan you need to take to get there. 

Perhaps most importantly , goals paint a clear picture in your mind of your ultimate goal and guide you on the path you need to take in your career strategy – from narrowing down to a career to excelling in your professional job. If you undertake a road trip with no guide, you may get lost and probably not arrive at your destination. Likewise, having no goals for your career may result in you getting lost and failing to achieve your desires. Professional goals give you a clear roadmap and specific actions to undertake. They give clarity in terms of what you need to do to reach your targets. That way, you can avoid slipping out of track. 

When one has short-term goals, they are able to narrow down their approach and concentrate their best efforts on smaller areas (Pande 2011). Success requires discipline as well as a broad approach. When starting, these may be a little difficult. Breaking your vision into smaller goals can help make things a lot easier and give you the confidence you need to realize them. You will also save time and get more done in few efforts.

With the labor market very competitive, you need to be accountable and responsible for decisions or actions you take. Your professional goals can be very useful in helping you be accountable. You’re expected to take specific actions. You also have deadlines for yourself which can help you get things done within specified periods. Further, you will be assessing your progress from time to time which can help improve your efficiency.

Professional goals will help you in your career strategy by helping you use time effectively. In the typical workplace, time is a precious resource that needs to be spent wisely. But it is often difficult to manage time if you don;t have clear goals and objectives (Robert 2005).; Goals allow you to prioritize on specific areas and work towards achieving important tasks first. They will also keep you from spending time and energy on less important or irrelevant tasks to your project outcomes.

Short-term professional goals can help you follow your career strategy by giving you a clear roadmap and make you more accountable. In addition, they will help you save time and cut out on less important tasks.; They will keep you on track and help you manage difficult situations that may come your way. In today;s fast-paced environment, goals can be the difference between failure and success.

References

Pande, Ashutosh (2011), Career Growth ; Joy at Work. GenNext Publications, Main Ansari Road. Daryaganj, New Delhi. India

Lock, D. Robert (2005) Taking Charge of Your Career Direction. Thomson Brooks, Belmont, CA. USA

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